How to get glue off leather

Christina SloaneUpdated February 21, 2017

When using glue for crafts or home repair, the sticky substance may drip onto leather clothes or upholstery. Depending on the type of glue used -- white glue, hot glue or super glue -- a stain may take minutes to remove or may be impossible to remove without damaging the leather. There are several methods you can try to remove various kinds of glues.

Stretch the leather until the affected area is as smooth as possible.

Gently scrape off excess glue with the smooth side of a plastic butter knife. Wipe the butter knife onto a paper towel and repeat until you have removed as much glue as possible.

Saturate a cotton ball with a solution of liquid soap and warm water. Gently rub the cotton ball onto the stain to loosen the glue. Rinse with warm water and wipe with a clean cloth. Repeat until the glue is gone. This solution is unlikely to work with super glue, but may work with white glue and other mild glues.

Saturate toothbrush bristles with acetone, a solvent sold at beauty supply stores. Test an inconspicuous area of the leather to ensure that the acetone won't discolour the material. Gently brush the stain with the toothbrush. Wipe with a clean cloth. Continue brushing and wiping until the stain is dissolved.